Mission Statement

Yosemite Wawona Elementary Charter School aims to produce competent, self-motivated life-long learners in a local community school who have sound academic foundations. We strive to educate problem-solvers who create quality work, work cooperatively, respect others and choose academic paths to enjoyable careers as adults.

Vision Statement

The vision of Yosemite Wawona Elementary Charter School is to provide a local school within Yosemite National Park that ensures the health, safety and welfare of our local children. We offer a unique education that utilizes the incredible natural and human resources within Yosemite National Park, fostering a deep sense of environmental stewardship. We offer an educational experience that emphasizes reading, writing, mathematics, science, social sciences, communication skills and a broad-based exposure to other academic disciplines through projects, hands-on activities and real world experiences whenever possible. Learning is achieved in a respectful and supportive environment that enhances integrity, respect, responsibility and compassion for others and the world as a whole.

Academic Philosophy

The foundation of our academic program is:

 • Set in a multiage classroom environment
 • A hands-on, project-based curriculum
 • A place where students work cooperatively and collaboratively
 • Integrated content across subject areas
 • Academically challenging
 • Aligned with California Common Core content standards

Goals

Yosemite Wawona Elementary Charter School
​seeks to help students grow and develop in the following ways:
  • Enable students to become self-motivated, competent and life-long learners.
  • Help students to realize that learning is a life-long process that not only comes from school, but the community and constantly changing world around us.
  • Help students to develop the necessary skills and academic paths so that they can choose fulfilling and enjoyable professions.
  • Realizing that problems are a part of life, teach students healthy and constructive ways to develop problem-solving skills, and help them realize that mistakes are wonderful opportunities to learn.
  • Provide a warm, supportive, safe, and loving atmosphere for students.
  • Encourage respect by modeling respect, and teach that all ethnic groups are important.
  • Provide students with diverse experiences outside of our rural, homogeneous community through field trips.
  • Teach thinking skills and the "how-to" in all instructional areas, including:
  • How to get information and use resources to find their own answers
  • How to socialize and get along with others
  • How to deal with conflict 
  • How to gain independence  
  • Help each student to develop an accurate and challenging Individual Learning Plan to be carried out in a non-competitive, non-judgmental environment.
  • Respect the different learning styles/multiple intelligences and teach accordingly.​​
  • Adequately provide for the children who have special needs.
  • Provide opportunities throughout the day to teach the children to work cooperatively in whole class, small, and multi-age groups that develop leadership capabilities.
  • Provide an enriched learning experience for all children, emphasizing "real life" challenges whenever possible.
  • Provide a well-rounded education in the arts for every child.
  • Maximize each child's academic abilities by creating a greater awareness of personal strengths and limitations so that each child can reach his or her potential.
  • Teach self-discipline and responsibility; students are responsible for their own actions and a large part of their own education.
  • Continuously facilitate the development of a healthy self-concept in each child.
  • View the teacher as a facilitator, counselor and team player - not as an information giver or dictator.
  • Provide opportunities for the staff members to improve their professional skills.
  • Continuously evaluate the programs at the Y-WECS and make necessary changes.
  • Strengthen students' skills in self-assessment.
  • Align the majority of our curriculum and teaching methods with the most current state and/or national curriculum standards.